Hollow rubber toy



May 8, 1928.

L. L. SMART HOLLOW RUBBER TOY Filed April 18, 1925 Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED ,STATI-:sl

l,Pa'rltm'r OFFICE.

LAWRENCE LANDON SMAIRT, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO YABAIOUNT RUBBER CONSOLIDATED INC., OF TUCKAHOE, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OT DELAWARE.

noLLow numana rox.

Application iiled April 1B, 1925. Serial No. 24,090.

This invention relates to a hollow rubber toy which is,countervw eighted so that it tends to hold its position and return thereto when tipped therefrom but may be readily rocked. The toy may for instance compr1se a ball or other article adapted to roll to some Aextent on a surface, or some floating ob'ect, as a representation of an animal, or in eed any object of a generally rounded form.

The ultimate purpose of the invention is to provide such toy 1n a form which will accomplish the desired result and be durable in use and yet is adapted for economical manufacture. More specifically, the invention provides an effective counter-weight which may be manufactured separate from the body and is provided with means so that it may be attached to the wall of the body and thereby fixedly mounted within it. The attaching means, which passes through the wall of the body, clamps the counter-weight in lace in such manner that there need be no leakage by reason of the attachment,land furthermore, the outer member of the attaching device is arranged to lie within a depression of the rubber body so that it will not mar a surface on which the toy stands. By manufacturing the counter-weight first and placing it within the body of the article as the latter is being formed, I provide for economical manufacture of each part of the article, as hereinafter more fully explained.

If desired, the counter-weight may carry a suitable voice device, enabling the production of sound when the body is collapsed and expands. By mounting this voice device within the attaching means of the counterweight it lis effectively protected against injury, ynotwithstanding rough usage of the tov.

'The drawings disclose two-embodiments of my invention. Fig. 1 is an elevation of a hollow ball containing the counter-weight; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. In this embodiment there is present a voice device carried by the counter-weight; Fig. 4 is a cross-section illustrating the counter-weight carried in a hollow rubber object representing a duck; Fig. 5 is a cross-section` on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a hollow approximately spherical body, made of rubber. Within the hollow body is a counter-weight C which may be made of any suitable material as wood, rubber, metal, etc. The counter-weight is held in lace within the rubber body by a screw and) nut couple, one member of which is embedded in the counter-weight, and the other member of which is on the outside of the rubber body, the screw passing through the rubber wall,

which isthus effectively clamped by the external member against the counter-weight.

`As shown in Fig. 2, the screw D is the member embedded in the counter-weight, while` the nut E is external and screws onto the threaded shank of the screw. The screw in this case is a bushing having external ribs or iianges d causing it tointerlock effectively with the counterweight.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 provides a bore within the bushing D which communicates with the interior of the hollow rubber body by a passageway d', and with external atmosphere by a passageway e in the nut.` Within this bore, I place a suitable voice device F which is shown as comprising a suitable reed carried by a tubular body slidabl mounted in the bore of the bushing.

In t e construction just described, Whenever the body of the article is collapsed, air is forced out through the voice device, and, as the body resumes its normal position due to the resiliency of the rubber, the air returns through this passageway. On the discharge or infux of the air, or both, the reed emits sound. y

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown the hollow rubber body as comprising a duck B, which is intended to indicate a floating object. The counter-Weight C in this case is held by a screw and 4nut couple partly internal and partly external, but, as the voice is omitted, I am able to simplify the construction. I accomplish this by making the nut G in the form of an internally threaded bushing mounted in the counter-weight while the screw H has an external head L adapted to clamp the rubber between itself and the counter-weight.

In each of the embodiments shown, the

counter weight is effective to return the body to the normal position shown when tipped therefrom, but does not interfere with the body being rocked or rolled to a certain extent, but causes it to eventually assume the upright position appropriate to the representation formed by the body or indicated on it.

It will be-seen from inspection of Figs. 2 and 4, that in either case the rubber of the body is tightl clamped between the counter-weight an the external member of the clamping device, thus preventing leakage of air or water between these parts. Furthermore, it will be seen that such external member of the clamping device is mounted within a recessed portion a or b of the rubber wall, due to the shape of the counter-weight. The result is that the rubber wall is bent around the counter-Weight and then in another direction across the clamping head, thus insuring a. tight connection. UAlso the article is caused to rest on an annular portion of the rubber wall immediately surrounding the recess and extending below the clamping device, and there is no danger of the clamping device marring a table, for instance, on which the article stands.

I may very readily manufacture the article by employing such a process as set out in Reissue Patent No. 14,603 to Fred Thomas Roberts, wherein sheets of rubber are placed across cavitary molds and are seated therein by suction after which the molds are brought together and cutting edges thereon, surroundingthe cavities, coact to form a seam between two sheets of rubber and at the same time cut ofi' the surplus rubber outside of the seam.

In making the article shown, by the Roberts process, I first make the counter-weight and its member of the clamping device by suitable means, varying with the substance of the counter-weight. If the counterweight is hard rubber for instance, a suitable amount of it is placed around the bushing and semi-cured thereon. Now, after the sheet rubber stock has been seated in the mold cavities by the Roberts process, I put one of these prepared counter-Weights loosely in the lower rubber lined cavity and close the mold. This forms the body of the article, after which it is vulcanized in a suitable mold, thus producing a body, with protuberanees or smooth as desired, and with the upwardly extending recess in the lower portion thereof.

I now cut a suitable opening through lthe wall of the body at the center of the recessed portion. This releases vthe internal pressure, which was generated during vulcanization in the usual manner, and allows the body to be collapsed. By collapsing it, 1 can readily work the counter-weight manually into position where its bushing registers with the opening through the wall, and the other member of the attaching device is applied.

If the form shown in Fig. 2 is employed, the projecting bushing is passed through the rubber wall, then the voice device is inserted in the bushin and then the nut is screwed onto the bus in and turned tightly into place, clamping t 1e rubber against the counter-weight, and holding the voice device housed within the bushm by which it is effectively protected. Wit the form shown in Fig. 4, when the bushing is brought into registration with the opening through the rubber, the screw is passed through the rubber and turned tightly into place, its head thus clamping the rubberagainst the counter wei ht.

It wlll be seen that by making the counter-weight separate from the wall of the body and clamping it in lace .after the body is independently forme I am enabled to manufacture the body in a very economical and rapid manner from sheet rubber stock, and the counterweight, whatever its Specific form, does not interfere with carrying out such economical method of manufacture as described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of a hollow rubber body, a counter-weight within the body, and a screw and nut couple for clamping the counter-weight to the body, one member of the couple being` mounted in the counterweight, the other member being adjacent the outside of the body, one member passing through the wall of the body, and coacting with the other member.

2. Thecombination of a hollow rubber body, a counter-weight within the same, a bushing within the counter-weight protruding through the body, an external clamping member coacting with the bushing and adapted to clamp the rubber of the body against the counter-weight, and a voice device within the bore of, the bushing.

3. The combination of a hollow rubber body, a counter-weight within the same, a bushing within the counter-weight having a projecting portion with an external thread, an external clamping nut screwed on said thread and adapted to clamp the rubber of the body against the counter-weight, and a voice device within the bore of the bushing protruding through said body.

4. The combination of a hollow rubber body, a counter-weight within the same, a bushing within the counter-weight having a portion projecting through the body and provided with a thread, a c am ing nut outside of the body en agn said thread and adapted to clampt e ru ber of the body against the counter-wei ht and a voice de vice within the bore o the bushing, said nut overhangin the bore of the bushing confining the diivice within the bushing, there being a passageway through the nut into-the interior.

5. The combination of a hollow `rubber bod a counter-weight within the same, a bus ing within the counter-weight protruding through the body, an external clamping member secured to said bushing and adapted to clamp the` rubber of the body a amst the counter-weight, and a voice de#A v1ce within the bore of the bushing, the

bushing being formed with an inward flange overhanging the bore to position the voice device.

6. The combination of a hollow rubber body, a counter-weight within the same, a bushing Within the counter-weight having a rojecting portion protrudin through the dy and an external threa an external clamping nut engaging said thread and adapted to clamp the rubber of the body against the counter-weight, and a voice device within the bore of the bushing, the bushing being formed with an inward flange overhanging the inner end of the bore, and the nut overhanging the outer end of the bore, whereby the voice device is confinedwithin the bushing, there being a 'passageway for air through the nut and through the inner end of the bushing.

7 A counter-weight adapted to be mounted in a hollow rubber body and comprising a weight having a 'rounded bottom and a central recess within the bottom, and a fastening device comprising a screw and nut couple, one member of which is embedded in the counter-weight directly above thev recess, and the other member of which is adapted to lie against the exterior of the hollow rubber body, in cooperative relation with the first member through an aperture in the rubber body.

8. The combination of a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counterweight within the body, a bushing carried by the counterweight, a clamping member on the outside of the body, and means connecting the clamping member with the bushing through said aperture, whereby the rubber wall may be forced against the counterweight.

9. The combination of a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counterweight within the body, a bushing mounted in the counter-weight, a clamping member at least part of which is'on the outside of the body, said clamping member having a threaded engagement with` the bushing through said aperture, and thus adapted to force the rubber wall against the counterweight.

10. The combination of a counter-wei ht having a recess4 on its lower face, an a hollow rubber bod having an aperture therein enclosing t e counter-weight and havin vits wall adjacent said aperture deflecte into the recess, a member mounted in the counterweight adjacent the recess, a second member disposed within the recess and externally of said wall and means for interlocking t e members through said aperture.

11. The combination of a counter-weight having a recess on its lower face, a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein enclosing the counter-weight and having its wall deflected into the recess, and a clamping device extending through said aperture carried partly externally and within the `rubberlined recess, for holding the counterweight in fixed relation to the body.

12. An article of the class described, comprising a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counter-weight therein made independently of the body, a threaded bushing carried by the counter-Weight, the counter-weight having a recess on its lower face, a clamping member external of the body within the recess and formed to engage the threads of the bushing, said clamping member and bushing cooperating throu h said aperture to clamp the rubber in t e recess against the counter-weight.

l, 13. The combination of a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counterweight within the same having a recess in its lower face, a clamping device adapted to Aforce the rubber in the recess against the Wall of the counter-weight, said clamping device operating through said aperture and having its external member housed entirely within the rubber lined recess, the rubber wall extending below the lowermost point ofthe clamping device.

14. The combination of a `hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counterweight within the same having a recess on its under-face, the'wall of the body being defiected into the. recess, a bushing mounted in the counter-weight, an external clamping member housed entirely within the recess entirely above the bottom plane thereof cooperatlng with the bushing through said aperture, said clamping device having a threaded engagement with the bushing.

15. The combination of a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein, a counter.- weight disposed within the body, a clamp for holding the counter-weight in place extending through the counter-weight and through the aperture in the body and a voice device carried by the clamp.

16. A counter-weight adapted to be mounted within a hollow rubber body having an aperture therein and comprisin a, weight rounded and lrecessed on its un erside and means associated with `,said weight "for clamping it in place, said means com rising a screw and nut couple one mem r 'of which is carried by the weight, and the other member is disposed within the recess and cooperating with the first member through the aperture in the body.

17. A counter-weight adapted to be mounted in a hollow rubber body having` an aperture therein and comprising a weight having a recess therein and a screw and ynut clamping device which deviceoperates through said aperture, one member being embedded in the weight, and the other disposed within the recess. l

18. A counter-weight applicable to the interior of a hollow rubber toy, said toy comprising a rubber body having an aperture therein, said counter-weight having. a re-r cess in its bottom, an attachin device including two members, one mem r disposed v adjacent-said recess,'the othermember disposed within the recess, and means -for nteroeking said members in lclamping relation through said aperture...

19. A counter-weight adapted to be mim'nt-` ed in a hollow rubber body having'an aperture therein, said counter-weight having a A signature.

L. LANDON SMART. 

